Li Chengqian had never heard what Wang Can said, so when he heard it, he was deeply touched.
Businessmen are the standard for measuring peace and prosperity.
There are many merchants and active merchants will indeed make people's lives better.
Li Chengqian continued: "According to what Mr. said, businessmen are indeed good, but what if the businessmen violate the law and discipline?"
Wang Can said: "The prince's question is a bit unreasonable. The imperial court has established laws and regulations, and both businessmen and people have the punishment they deserve. What's more, the prince said that businessmen broke the law and were disorderly.
Discipline, don't officials break the law and the people don't break the law? If this is the case, there will be no need for prisons and laws in the world. So the so-called targeting businessmen everywhere is a fallacy. Businessmen are also people and people, that's all.
"
After a pause, Wang Can said again: "As for your worries about merchants disrupting the Tang Dynasty, or merchants bribing officials, merchants colluding with officials, etc., this is a problem. Even if merchants are suppressed, there will be these problems. So the biggest
The problem does not lie with the businessmen themselves, but with the system. The court needs a system to restrain officials and a system that makes people afraid to take risks."
When Li Chengqian heard this, his eyes became brighter and brighter, and he said: "Sir's words are like bells in the morning and drums in the evening, which makes the disciples suddenly enlightened. There is indeed no need to suppress businessmen, and they should even be encouraged."
Wang Can said: "That's the case. Businessmen doing business everywhere are conducive to the development of the people. Of course, they cannot be allowed to drive up prices arbitrarily. Anyone who violates laws and disciplines, as long as they drive up prices, etc., will be severely punished."
Li Chengqian said: "Sir, what you mean is that businessmen cannot be beaten to death just because they are seeking profits. What the court needs to do is not to suppress businessmen, but to formulate laws to ensure that businessmen do not dare to violate laws and disciplines wantonly."
Wang Can said: "That's what it means."
Li Chengqian said: "Sir, my disciple has been taught."
Wang Can changed the subject and continued: "Let's talk about craftsmen now. Scholars, farmers, industry and merchants. Craftsmen are ranked third, which is slightly higher than businessmen. As for craftsmen, this industry that countless people consider to be a low-level and low-level industry,
What do you think?"
At this time, Li Chengqian became a little more cautious.
He didn't speak immediately.
Because he had the precedent of a businessman, he also had lessons learned from the past.
Li Chengqian thought about it and said: "Sir, my disciple has come into contact with many craftsmen in the craftsman's workshop and also in the restaurant. These people are extremely serious in their work and they are very simple. But because of their own vision,
, and my own experience, so I can only become a craftsman and cannot have a higher status."
Wang Can said: "The identity of a craftsman does not depend on his own vision, but on the recognition of the court. Farmers are the foundation of the world, and someone must cultivate them, but in fact, craftsmen are also indispensable."
"The house we live in was built by craftsmen."
"Soldiers' weapons and armor are also forged and smelted by craftsmen."
"The clothes we wear are also made by tailors."
"Even roads, bridges, ships, etc., all need craftsmen. If there were no craftsmen, the whole world would be in chaos and order would be impossible."
Wang Can continued: "So craftsmen are also the key. In fact, especially the most powerful craftsmen, such as those who can improve and smelt the tip of a knife. With a slight change, they can forge sharper weapons, but they are condensed
Countless efforts have been put into it. If we say that such a craftsman is not precious, isn't it?"
"It is precious."
"It can even be said that it is the pillar of the country. Because the improvement of a weapon will save countless soldiers from death and injury, and will allow the imperial army to win."
"Furthermore, for example, people who dredge rivers, because they understand the trends of mountains, rivers, and rivers, prevent rivers from flooding and affecting the people. Isn't such a person precious?"
"It's also precious."
Wang Can said in a deep voice: "Except for Confucianism, all the other schools of thought in the world, as long as the handful of people who are truly top in their respective fields, are beneficial to the development of the Tang Dynasty, and are beneficial to the national economy and people's livelihood, because the truly top
The technology will ultimately benefit people, benefit the people, and benefit the country."
Li Chengqian thought about it carefully, nodded and said: "What you said is true. Real top craftsmen, whether they are doctors, farmers, or weapon smelters, are all very important."
Wang Can said: "So in short, these craftsmen from great countries are worthy of being given status."
Li Chengqian said: "Sir, what you mean is that this is equivalent to buying horse bones with thousands of gold. On the one hand, the court gives awards to show the respect for the craftsmen. On the other hand, the court gives awards, which will attract many craftsmen to do things."
"That's what it means."
Wang Can answered with a smile.
For Wang Can, he hopes to improve the status of craftsmen. Whether he is a businessman, a craftsman, or a farmer, Wang Can hopes to improve it and no longer be the only one.
This is Wang Can's idea.
Hence, what Wang Can and Li Chengqian said.
Li Chengqian said seriously: "Sir, as for rewarding craftsmen, this should not be difficult. However, it may not be easy to improve the status of merchants. After all, this matter is likely to be boycotted in the court. The people of the Manchu Dynasty
Sir, it is impossible to agree."
Wang Can said: "This matter cannot be accomplished overnight, and it is naturally impossible for you to accomplish it overnight. And when doing things, you cannot rush for success. Speaking of eagerness for success, let me digress."
Li Chengqian said: "Sir, please tell me."
Li Chengqian believed Wang Can's words very much. If some officials in the court had their own interests when talking to him, Wang Can was different. There was no interest relationship between Wang Can and Li Chengqian.
In fact, Wang Can never officially accepted Li Chengqian as his disciple, that is, Li Chengqian himself called Wang Can sir, but Wang Can did not refuse.
Wang Can said: "Every king, or anyone in power, is prone to have a flaw, and that is eagerness for success. Once you give an order, you hope to implement it."
"Because kings want immediate results."
"This was the case with Yang Guang in the previous dynasty."
"Yang Guang built the Grand Canal, conquered Goguryeo three times, and many other deeds. In fact, he was too eager for success. If Yang Guang stretched out what he wanted to do, it would take fifty or sixty years, or even
If it takes longer to complete, it will be different.”
Wang Can said: "It is a pity that Yang Guang was eager for success and implemented harsh policies, so that the Sui Dynasty was eventually destroyed. You are the prince of the Tang Dynasty, and you will inherit the foundation in the future. This should be learned from."
Li Chengqian said: "Master's teachings, disciples should keep them in mind."
Wang Can said: "Getting back to the topic, let's go back to the improvement of the status of craftsmen and businessmen. Regardless of whether they are craftsmen or businessmen, when they put aside their official positions, scholars, farmers, industry and merchants should be equal. In this way, the imperial court
Development will only get better and better. Otherwise, it will go to extremes and people's lives will become increasingly difficult."
Li Chengqian said: "That's true."
Wang Can said: "Scholars, farmers, industry and commerce each have their own division of labor, and the scholars at the front have the most resources and enjoy the most prestigious official positions. But in fact, it is these officials who should feed the people. Once you serve as an official, you will benefit one party.
This is the truth. Therefore, those who are officials should be Ruziniu and serve the people. This is the fundamental thing. But the real situation is not like this. The vast majority of people are just dominating and enjoying themselves.
The best treatment comes from failure to fulfill one's duties. Therefore, the supervision of the people should be strengthened. Even if there is a Dali Temple and a Ministry of Punishment in the DPRK, they still need to be strengthened."
Li Chengqian said: "This arrangement is not easy! Today's officials in the court, if the government is a little stricter, and the strictness here is directed at the officials, then they will be attacked by groups, saying that it is not the holy king who bows his head.
Governance, no matter how the emperor competes with the people for profit, in short, all kinds of things can be manipulated."
Wang Can said: "So here, it comes back to the problem from the beginning. All the rules were made by Confucian scholars, and all the benefits were obtained by Confucian scholars. But the ones who should be curbed the most are Confucian scholars."
After a pause, Wang Can continued: "If the prince wants to be in power, then these things need to be changed a little bit."
"Of course, let's talk more profoundly."
"The political power of the officials in the DPRK actually involves the dispute between the monarch's power and the power of the ministers. Between the monarch and the ministers, one party is always stronger. Once the emperor is strong, then everything of all the ministers will revolve around the emperor.
Come. Once the power of the ministers is strong, that is, the so-called power of the prime minister, and the power of the prime minister in the court is strong, then the power of the monarch will be suppressed."
"If the emperor wants to implement his thoughts, he must suppress the Confucian scholars and the authority of his ministers."
"This is impossible to reconcile."
Wang Can talked eloquently and continued: "So the Crown Prince Xiang Ji is going forward. To be a wise king, there are still many things to do. In short, I am just giving some ideas and proposing a general direction. It is you who really have to implement it. Easier said than done.
, what is learned on paper will eventually seem shallow, but it will ultimately fall into practice.”
Li Chengqian clasped his hands together and said respectfully: "Disciple, Mr.
He learned a lot from Wang Can.
Because all of this is something that his teacher Dong Gong cannot teach, and even Li Gang cannot explain it so thoroughly and clearly.
All the teachings taught him to be courteous to the virtuous and corporal, to be considerate of the people, to trust the ministers, and even preached that the kings of Yao and Shun ruled by doing nothing, etc.
But all of this, if you think about it carefully, does not involve the officials themselves.
Some of them were restrictions on the emperor himself, but the means that were actually handed over to the emperor were not mentioned at all. This was what Li Chengqian disliked and was most dissatisfied with.
Just like this, Li Chengqian was extremely grateful to Wang Can.
